There are a range of smart watch compatible with iPhone, from Apple's own impressive lineup to some compelling alternatives from other brands. But which one is the best for your needs and budgets?
Best Smart Watch for iPhone: Apple's & Alternatives (2024)
By Naila Syifa
Updated April 2024
A smart watch can be a great companion device for your iPhone, offering convenient access to notifications, fitness tracking, and more right from your wrist. When choosing a smart watch to pair with your iPhone, you have a range of options from Apple's own impressive lineup to some compelling alternatives from other brands.
In this guide, we'll take a look at the best smart watches for iPhone users, covering different price points and feature sets to help you find the perfect wearable for your needs.
Apple Watches
#1 Best Overall: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9
As Apple's latest flagship wearable, the Apple Watch Series 9 builds upon the success of its predecessors with even more advanced features and capabilities. It boasts a vibrant always-on display with up to 2000 nits brightness, allowing you to easily check time, notifications, stats, and more without raising your wrist.
Under the hood, the Series 9 is powered by the new S9 chip that delivers lightning-fast performance and enables a range of cutting-edge health and fitness features. These include an enhanced optical heart sensor for more accurate heart rate monitoring, an ECG app, and advanced sleep tracking with detailed sleep stage analysis. Unfortunately, blood oxygen monitoring is not offered on any Apple watch in the US due to legal hurdles.
Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 also introduces on-device Siri, allowing you to command Siri without your iPhone. You can even ask Siri about your health data, making it easier than ever to stay on top of your wellness goals.
In terms of battery life, the watch can last up to 18 hours on a single charge with normal use, and it supports fast charging that can take your watch from 0 to 80% in just 45 minutes. While it may not have the multi-day battery life of some competitors, it offers a good balance of features and performance for most users.
Apple Watch Series 9
Best Overall
✓ Always-On Retina 2000 nits
✓ Optical Heart Sensor (Gen 3)
✓ ECG App
✓ On-Device Siri
#2 Best Premium: Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best premium smart watch for iPhone users who want the most capable and well-integrated wearable experience. It offers a compelling blend of health and fitness features, smart capabilities, and seamless connectivity with the iPhone and other Apple devices.
At a high starting price of US$799, you get a rugged and durable design that's built for adventure, with a larger 49mm titanium case, always-on retina display with 3000 nits brightness, and enhanced water resistance up to 100 meters. It now also has dual speakers and a three-microphone array for improved sound quality and voice clarity in challenging environments.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The Ultra 2 features the same S9 chip and 4-core Neural Engine that the Series 9 offers, but it adds more extra features and capabilities that make it a better option for outdoor sports and adventures. For example, it includes a water temperature sensor for swimming, a depth gauge for diving, and a built-in 86-decibel siren for emergencies.
The altimeter can now also operate at an expanded range from -500m to 9000m, and the Compass app offers Backtrack, Waypoints, and a new Elevation view for improved navigation and exploration.
The battery life doubles the Series 9, lasting up to 36 hours on a single charge with normal use. Low Power Mode allows you to extend the battery life up to 70 hours, making it ideal for multi-day adventures or when you don't have access to a charger.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Best Premium
✓ Always-On Retina 3000 nits
✓ Water Temperature & Depth Gauge
✓ ECG App
✓ 100m Water-Resistance
#3 Best Budget: Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Apple Watch SE 2 is the most budget-friendly model in the Apple Watch lineup, though still at a quite high starting price of US$249 for the GPS-only variant and US$299 for the GPS + Cellular model.
Despite its lower price point, the SE 2 still packs an impressive array of features. It uses the same S8 SiP dual-core processor as the Series 8, ensuring smooth performance and responsiveness. The Retina LTPO OLED display is bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight, with a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
The SE 2 also offers many of the core health and fitness features that make the Apple Watch so popular, including heart rate monitoring, advanced sleep tracking with sleep stages, compass with Backtrack and Waypoints, fall and crash detection, and Emergency SOS.
It's also swim-proof with a water resistance rating of 50 meters, and the battery life is also equally as impressive as the Apple Watch Series 9, lasting up to 18 hours on a single charge with normal use.
While it lacks some of the more advanced capabilities of its pricier siblings, like the always-on display, ECG app, temperature sensing, on-device Siri, and fast charging capability, the Apple Watch SE 2 still delivers excellent value for those who want a capable and stylish smart watch to pair with their iPhone without breaking the bank.
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Best Budget
✓ Retina 1000 nits
✓ Optical Heart Sensor (Gen 2)
✓ Fall and Crash Detection
✓ 50m Water-Resistance
Alternatives
#1 Best for Active Lifestyle: Garmin Venu 3
Garmin Venu 3
Garmin Venu 3 is an excellent choice for iPhone users who prioritize fitness and wellness features. With advanced health monitoring capabilities, a robust selection of sports modes, and helpful training tools, this smart watch is designed to support and enhance an active lifestyle.
There are 30+ sports modes to choose from, including running, cycling, swimming, golf, and many others. For some types of exercises, like yoga, cardio, and strength, you can even access on-screen workout animations and on-screen muscle maps to help you maintain proper form and target the right muscle groups.
Garmin Venu 3
Garmin Coach is another valuable feature for people who want to train for a race, as you can get an adaptive training plan based on your fitness level and goals. The watch also supports workouts for wheelchair users, making it more inclusive and accessible to a wider range of users.
The Venu 3 also tracks key health metrics 24/7, including heart rate, stress, sleep, respiration, and more. It even has an FDA-cleared ECG app for detecting signs of atrial fibrillation. The Body Battery feature combines health, fitness, and recovery data to gauge your energy levels throughout the day, so you can optimize your schedule and activities accordingly.
Garmin Venu 3
Best for Active Lifestyle
✓ Body Battery Energy Monitoring
✓ Animated Workout & Muscle Map
✓ Garmin Coach
✓ Wheelchair Mode
#2 Best for Daily Convenience: Fitbit Versa 4
Fitbit Versa 4
While the Garmin Venu 3 shines for its fitness and health features, the Fitbit Versa 4 stands out for its ability to streamline your daily routine and keep you connected on the go. This smart watch offers a range of practical tools and smart features that make everyday tasks more convenient and efficient.
Fitbit Versa 4 integrates Google Maps and Google Wallet into the watch, so you can get turn-by-turn directions and make contactless payments right from your wrist. You can also view texts and app notifications from the watch's face when your phone is nearby. These features can be incredibly handy when you're out and about, allowing you to leave your phone in your pocket or bag.
Fitbit Versa 4
The watch is also packed with a built-in speaker and microphone, so you can take calls directly on your wrist or command the built-in Alexa voice assistant to set reminders, control smart home devices, ask questions, and more.
If fitness and workouts are also an important part of your daily activity, the Versa 4 has you covered there too. You can track over 40 different exercises, monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, and stress level, view your Active Zone Minutes or Cardio Fitness Score, or follow a guided breathing session. These features make it easy to stay on top of your health and wellness goals throughout the day.
Fitbit Versa 4
Best for Daily Convenience
✓ Google Maps & Google Wallet
✓ Built-in Speaker & Microphone
✓ 40+ Exercise Modes
✓ 24/7 Heart Rate & Alerts
#3 Best Budget Alternative: Amazfit Bip 3 Pro
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro
If you're looking for a more affordable option that still delivers impressive features, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro is a compelling choice. This budget-friendly smart watch boasts a sleek, lightweight design and a large, vibrant color display that's easy to read.
Despite costing only US$69.99, the Bip 3 Pro offers a wide range of health and fitness tracking capabilities, including heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen measurement, stress tracking, and advanced sleep monitoring with sleep score, sleep stages, slepe breathing quality, and daytime naps tracking.
You can choose from over 60 sports modes to help you track your activity data while you’re staying active, and the 5 ATM water rating also makes the watch safe to use during swimming.
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro
Furthermore, the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro packs all the essential smart features, including notifications, weather forecasts, to do lists, alarm, stopwatch, and more. What’s amazing is that it even supports phone music and phone camera control compatible with iPhone and Android, so you can remotely control your music playback or take pictures of yourself from a distance with ease.
With around 7-14 days of battery life on a single charge, this smart watch is perfect for those who want a reliable and feature-packed device without breaking the bank.
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro
Best Budget Alternative
✓ 1.69" Large Color Display
✓ 61 Sports Modes
✓ 5 ATM Water-Resistance
✓ Phone Music & Camera Control
Best Apple Watches for iPhone
Apple Watch Series 9
Best Overall
✓ Always-On Retina 2000 nits
✓ Optical Heart Sensor (Gen 3)
✓ ECG App
✓ On-Device Siri
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Best Premium
✓ Always-On Retina 3000 nits
✓ Water Temperature & Depth Gauge
✓ ECG App
✓ 100m Water-Resistance
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
Best Budget
✓ Retina 1000 nits
✓ Optical Heart Sensor (Gen 2)
✓ Fall and Crash Detection
✓ 50m Water-Resistance
Best Alternative Smart Watches for iPhone
Garmin Venu 3
Best for Active Lifestyle
✓ Body Battery Energy Monitoring
✓ Animated Workout & Muscle Map
✓ Garmin Coach
✓ Wheelchair Mode
Fitbit Versa 4
Best for Daily Convenience
✓ Google Maps & Google Wallet
✓ Built-in Speaker & Microphone
✓ 40+ Exercise Modes
✓ 24/7 Heart Rate & Alerts
Amazfit Bip 3 Pro
Best Budget Alternative
✓ 1.69" Large Color Display
✓ 61 Sports Modes
✓ 5 ATM Water-Resistance
✓ Phone Music & Camera Control
Final Thoughts
Apple Watch Ultra 2
When it comes to choosing the best smart watch for your iPhone, there are plenty of great options to consider. Whether you're looking for the seamless integration and advanced features of the Apple Watch Series 9, the rugged durability of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the affordability of the Apple Watch SE 2, or the unique offerings of third-party alternatives like the Garmin Venu 3, Fitbit Versa 4, or Amazfit Bip 3 Pro, there's a smart watch out there that will suit your needs and budget.
By carefully evaluating the features, design, and price of each option, you can find the perfect smart watch companion for your iPhone and enhance your digital lifestyle.
If you like to read more on smartwatches, check out our other relevant guides here:
Best Smartwatches
Best Inexpensive Smart Watch
Best Garmin Watches
Best Fitbit Smartwatches & Trackers
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